Leaving The Past
by heartofawriter28
Summary: When tragedy strikes the Andrews household only one thing can save them: Hotshot the red head lawyer (it makes sense if you read it okay)


**Based on the BH's message about sinners who escaped and the promo for 2x20 and also just the fact that Frary owns me.**

 **Credit for the title goes to my Twitter wife Charlotte, ily bby**

 **Credit for the summary goes to Erona, ily even though I'm gonna yell at you later**

He'd been staring at the note on the kitchen counter for close to two hours now. He'd made Archie go to school and had said he was going to work, but he hadn't moved from his seat since he'd found the note. He just kept reading the words over and over.

 _ **You're next, sinner.**_

The bold letters stared up at him, taunting him. It was happening again. The fear. The anxiety. It was all coming back with those three words. He had thought all this was behind him. He'd survived the Black Hood's attack, his hospital bills had been paid, and everything had been fine. Well...not _fine_ , but...things hadn't been terrible. Shaking his head, he picked up the beer bottle in front of him with a shaky hand, taking a long sip. It was right after that he heard the sound of the front door opening and closing.

"Archie, I told you to go to school." he said tiredly, still not removing his eyes from the note.

"Well that's good. He doesn't need to hear me yelling at you." He finally tore his gaze quickly from the note at the sound of her voice, his eyes widening slightly in shock.

"Mary…" he started slowly.

"Don't you _Mary_ me, Frederick." she snapped, tossing her purse on the counter. "Did you really think I wouldn't find out?"

"I didn't want you to know." he sighed, slowly standing to face her.

" _Obviously_." she hissed. "Just like you didn't want me to know you got shot before, right? No one called me or texted me or _anything_! I had to find out on the goddamn _news_ that you had been _shot_ and might not make it!" her voice cracked despite her attempts at trying to remain angry, and he immediately felt bad.

"I'm sorry, Mare. I just didn't want you to worry, and Archie and everybody...they just didn't think about it with everything going on."

"They just _didn't think_ about calling your wife?"

"Mary, we're separated...if it wasn't for Archie calling while I was in Chicago...you know we would've gone through with the divorce." And though it was true, her expression changed to one so devastated and hurt, you'd think he'd slapped her.

"Well he did." she said quietly. "And we didn't. We're still married, and I still care, whether you believe that or not."

"Mare-" he started.

"I'm going to pull Archie out of school. Both of you are coming to Chicago with me until this whole mess is over." she told him flatly, her eyes falling on the note on the counter. He sighed, knowing there was no use fighting.

"He told you about the note?" he asked instead.

"Called me while I was in the cab on my way here." He nodded, looking over at it again.

"Guess I'll go pack."

"Yeah, you do that." He watched her turn and head for the front door without another word, feeling a little guilty for what he'd said to her. He knew the separation had been hard on her, despite the fact that she had been the one to ask for it. He hadn't meant to hurt her with the words, he had just come to accept that they weren't going to be together, and he had thought she had too. Apparently he had been wrong. His thoughts wandered between her and the Black Hood as he continued to pack, and he barely registered the sound of the front door opening and closing once again downstairs.

"Dad?"

"Up here, bud!" he called, throwing the last of his things in his duffel bag. He listened as the sound of his son's footsteps grew louder until Archie finally appeared in the bedroom doorway.

"You shouldn't have called her." Fred told him, turning around.

"She was really hurt last time." Archie pointed out. "And I don't know what you said to her before she came to get me, but she seems really hurt now. She was crying when she showed up at the school." He felt another pinch of guilt at the thought of her crying over their conversation, and he let out another sigh.

"I wasn't trying to hurt her."

"I know that. And she knows that. Which is why she told me not to say anything. But dad...do you guys really want to stay separated? You're clearly not happy being apart."

"It's more complicated than that, Arch." he said tiredly.

"No, it's not. You're _making_ it more complicated. If you love each other, if you're happier being together, then you should be together. It's not complicated." Shaking his head, Archie left the room without saying anything further, leaving Fred to think about his words. _Did_ he still love Mary? He knew the answer to that question, of course he did. But he had a hard time believing she still loved him. She was the one who had asked for the separation and divorce in the first place, and she was happy in Chicago...or at least he had thought she was. The question of her happiness continued to plague his mind as he picked up his duffel bag and wandered downstairs to where Mary was sitting at the island, her worried brown eyes fixed on the Black Hood's note. She was twisting her wedding ring around her finger, and he wondered how he hadn't noticed that she hadn't taken it off.

In that moment, he could see everything she always tried to keep hidden. Her stress. Her worry. Her _fear_. Her eyes reflected everything she was feeling, even though she wasn't even looking at him. Her cheeks and eyes were red, a clear indication of the tears Archie had informed him of earlier. He walked over slowly, setting the bag on the countertop and reaching over to place his hand on top of hers, catching her attention.

"I know you care, hotshot." he said softly. "And I'm sorry." She closes her eyes, nodding as a tear slips down her cheek. He reached out with his other hand, gently swiping it away.

"I don't want to lose you, Fred. I can't." she whispered.

"You're not gonna lose me, Mare. never." he could feel even more pain and guilt at how broken she sounded, and he squeezed her hand softly, turning it over to properly hold it.

"I'm sorry. For everything."

"You don't have to apologize, red. Not your fault." She looked like she wanted to say more, but it was at that moment that Archie bounded down the stairs with his own luggage.

"Ready?" he asks, looking between them. They both nod, and Mary pulls her hand away, standing and shooting Fred a longing look before heading out the front door with Archie where the cab was waiting.

With one last look at the note on the counter, Fred grabbed his bag and followed them out, shutting the door behind them


End file.
